Evo to USAID: Patience is Limited

La Razón, La Paz, 22-Mar-2011: While Bolivia awaits a U.S counter-proposal regarding a framework agreement between both countries, President Evo Morales affirmed that his patience is waning in view of an alleged conspiracy by USAID against his government.

Conference. President Evo Morales ratified that USAID conspires against democracy in Bolivia.

"I don't have a formal resolution from the Movimiento al Socialismo (Morales' political party) on expelling USAID. When the resolution arrives we'll surely review it profoundly. USAID continually conspires against democracy and the national government. Let's hope our patience doesn't wear out, and I say that from a personal point of view," said the president at the Government Palace.

His challenge comes as Bolivia awaits the U.S. position regarding a framework agreement. Minister of Foreign Affairs David Choquehuance stated to La Razón that this document should be arriving "in the next few days".

On March 16 the departmental (state) and national MAS party heads agreed during a political meeting during the Legislative Assembly that USAID should leave the country due to alleged conspiracy.

Pamphlets. Yesterday pamphlets were pasted on the door of the MAS party in Bolivia's equivalent to the House of Representatives that explain USAID's alleged political interference in Bolivia's social movements and government. In the publication, the government party reveals that the agency, using cooperation as an excuse, discusses political issues in indigenous and rural communities.

Regarding this, the head of the Convergencia Nacional (CN) party in Bolivia's equivalent to the House of Representatives, Osney Martínez, lamented that the MAS wishes to expel the agency from the country. "They want to expel USAID because it coordinates with the DEA. What is the MAS saying? They're saying that USAID is obstructing Bolivia's transformation into a paradise for drug trafficking."

David Sanchez, a MAS senator, ratified the government party's position. "We've ratified that USAID cooperation was meddling in internal political issues and that type of cooperation doesn't help construct the new State," he said.

The head of the MAS party in the Senate, Isaac Ávalos, asked the President to expel USAID "once and for all" because he believes there is proof, such as the revelation made by Michelle Leonhart, a U.S. intelligency authority, that the DEA keeps an eye on Bolivia by using informants.